Safest way to ensure that everything is fair is to get it ALL in writing , signed by both parties. Specify each item that needs repair. Also, BUY the paint YOURSELF. That way, there is no incentive to water it down, and you KNOW that you are getting the grade/quality you actually purchased. Don't be penny wise and pound foolish; if you are paying to hire a painter, buy the best paint that you can afford, to ensure maximum life of this home improvement.

As a painting contractor I find that most contractors charge between $20 an hour and $45 an hour plus paint and materials pending overhead here in Pennsylvania i figure $30 an hour is a safe bet. figure a good painter should be able to prep a 12 x 12 to a 12 x 15 room, caulk, apply 1 or 2 coats to the ceiling 2 coats on the walls and 1 coat on all baseboards, trim, doors and crown moulding in an 8 to 9 hour day. This is with minimal or minor spackling repairs like nail holes and nail pops, not cracks and peeling tape. Thats extra paint is usually $30 to $70 a gallon pending quality. A room this size will need 1 gallon for the ceiling 2 for the walls and maybe 1 gallon for the trim, doors ext... the square foot price is $1.50 - $3.00 as far as asking for money up front I never ask. If the home owner buys the paint there is no need for money and if your buying the paint and your an established contractor you have an account with your supplier's. any ways that's my input and guidelines

After painting the ceiling, work from the top down: Start with the crown molding, then do the walls and then paint the casement molding around the windows and doors. Do baseboard molding last. "Painting the baseboards last keeps dust and grit from traveling off the floor, onto the brush and then up onto the freshly painted casements," explains Weeks.
"Dean is everything you want for a great job. He actually went to home depot twice during the replacement of a sink, range, and oven. Everything including turning the water off at the street, making sure the job was done safe and leaving the kitchen clean and operational after the install and removal of the old appliances. I highly recommend him + he's a smart and courteous veteran!"

The secret to a finish that's free of lap and brush marks is mixing a paint extender (also called a paint conditioner), such as Floetrol, into the paint. This does two things. First, it slows down the paint drying time, giving you a longer window to overlap just-painted areas without getting ugly lap marks that happen when you paint over dried paint and darken the color. Second, paint extender levels out the paint so brush strokes are virtually eliminated (or at least much less obvious). Pros use extenders when painting drywall, woodwork, cabinets and doors. Manufacturer's directions tell you how much extender to add per gallon of paint.

So sad that Angie's List requires the contractor be notified!! They have lost me as a client. If I'm dissatisfied and want to give an "F" rating (question/workers...I SHOULD NOT be intimidated into passing up an opportunity to explain my experience! There is NO WAY my contractor got an Aplus rating from over five hundred people....so someone was lying....yet I can't report that without the contractor knowing it? REALLY?

"Modern paints dry too quickly, and are difficult to brush out," says Dixon, who uses paint additives, such as Floetrol for latex paints and Penetrol for alkyds. "Adding a few ounces per gallon slows drying time and makes the paint more workable," he says. Another problem is bridging. "Latex paints form a skin," says Dixon. "Removing painted tape can tear the skin, resulting in a ragged rather than a sharp line." Lastly, taping takes time. "Learning how to cut in with a brush takes practice, but if you can do it, you'll leave most tapers in the dust," Dixon says. (Cutting in is painting just the surface you want, not the surface adjacent to it — for example, where a wall meets the ceiling.) Although there are mildewcide additives, our pros prefer using bathroom and kitchen paints that have built-in mildew fighters. "These paints will prevent mildew from forming, but they won't kill mildew that's already there," Dixon points out. Because leftover mold spores can live beneath the paint and eventually work their way through to the surface, you should also prep bath and kitchen surfaces. First, wash down the walls with a bleach solution (3/4 cup of bleach per gallon of water) then seal with a stain-blocking primer, such as Zinsser's Bulls Eye 1-2-3 or Kilz's Total One.

My painter franchisee, who I got from Angie's List, must have found some shmucks on the corner to paint my house. I specifically said I wanted stain. First my house was painted the wrong color, Then it was painted with LATEX paint- not stain. Estimates to 'undo' the damage is around $10,000 and its not a guarantee that it will work. The work is at best amateurish. Many underpainted or not painted spots, drips, etc. They did the entire outside (scraping?, priming? caulking?, painting), cleaned up and left within the time I left for work and came home. There were thee of them (my neighbor told me) This was two years ago and I am still upset. Can't be fixed.
Some proposals simply say to paint the walls and ceiling and never specify the number of coats to be applied. If the colors are similar enough, it's possible to get away with one coat of paint and not discount your pricing. No matter how hard you try, tiny, pin-sized air holes will pop exposing the original walls. This may not bother you if you can't notice it, but principally speaking you should have paid your painter less for the work.

Do you want painting so beautiful you’ll be itching to show it off? Then choose ProTect Painters! Our team is highly qualified and experienced, and we focus on the customer experience with industry leading standards of service and care. Since our company was founded in 1995, the name Protect Painters been synonymous with good communication, security, quality, respect, and jobs well done. You can rely on us.

Rolling paint from a paint tray is a futile, messy proposition. Here's a faster, neater, better approach: Roll paint directly from a 5-gallon bucket using a paint grid. A paint grid is simply a rectangular, rigid metal or plastic screen that hooks onto the rim of the bucket. Fill the bucket about halfway with paint, then hang the grid inside the bucket. Dip the roller sleeve into the paint, and roll it against the grid to remove excess paint. It's that easy. At the end of the day, drop the grid into the bucket and snap on the lid
Keep in mind the perceived space of the room. Dark colors tend to make a room look smaller, while light colors open up the space. Test drive your color by investing in a quart-sized (or smaller) can of paint in the color you’re thinking of using before you buy a bigger (and more expensive) can. Paint a small portion of your wall and watch the color in different lights throughout the day so you don’t get stuck with a color that only looks how you want it to look in broad daylight. Stick with neutral colors if you’re planning to sell your home. Keep in mind that buyers want to be able to visualize their things in your home.
Emotionally speaking, orange is a very stimulating and happy color. Pastel oranges are irresistible and great for interior spaces where skin is more likely to be exposed, such as bedrooms and bathrooms. Bright orange is the antithesis of gray and can be lively, while darker and burnt orange tones have a similar effect as the brown hues and go along great with southwestern décor.
Homeowners painting their home, whether it's a new coat or a new house, should ask their contractor about low-emitting paints. As the paint is applied and dries, it can release high levels of VOC's, chemicals that may be toxic to the air your family breathes (not to mention, they stink!). On top of that, these off-gassing chemicals can be absorbed by soft materials already in your home (carpet, furniture, pillow, fabric) and act as a new source to continue releasing harmful chemicals (known as "the sink effect"). There are tons of third party certified low-emitting paints on the market now for more competitive pricing and selection. You can find them listed on my organization's website at greenguard.org (those that we certify) or you can find more info from your contractor :) Happy painting!
Excellent advice because there are many unskilled workers who are "trying to pull the wool over the customers eyes". One has to study about the project for which they are in need. I happen to need dry wall repair and painting done in my home and feel the advice in this article will be a great help to me in hiring someone who is ethical and does good work. Thanks.

The companies with the best paint products are Benjamin Moore, Dunn Edwards, Sherwin Williams, and Vista Paint. As a painter I don't recommend Berh from Home Depot as much because it's quality is just marketing. Flat paint has no sheen and it shows its true color, but is not easy to wash or clean. Satin, eggshell have low sheen and is washable. Semigloss ang glossy has a high sheen and these paints are recommended for bathrooms and kitchen or where there's high humidity and steam.

Professional paint crews know what they’re doing. Odds are, they’ve been in the business a while & can crank out a fully prepped room in just a matter of hours. Trim, however, is one of the most time-consuming portions of a room repaint (aside from prep). If you have a lot of trim/detail pieces in a room, keep in mind that this can affect how much it costs to paint.

When hiring a contractor it is always best to hire one who is personally referred to you by someone you trust. Hiring through ads or phone book is hit and miss. Check with your local paints stores, they know the good guys from the bottom feeders. Go to the stores that sell the high quality paints like Benjamin Moore(nonpareil), Pittsburg, Sherwin Williams or Glidden. Don't go the the big box stores for referrals, the people there don't know squat!

Don't bother taping windows when painting sashes—it takes a long time and paint usually ends up on the glass anyway. Go ahead and let paint get on the glass. Once it's dry, simply scrape it off with a razor blade. The paint peels off in seconds. "Just be careful to not break the paint bond between the wood and the glass," a pro cautions. "Otherwise, moisture can get on the wood and cause rot."
We hired Warline to refinish and paint all of our kitchen cabinets and bathroom cabinets. We found their service to be excellent -- professional, clean, unobtrusive, friendly, high-quality, and economical. We are very satisfied with the work they did, and would recommend them to anyone looking to refresh their kitchen. We are very happy with our "new" kitchen and bathrooms!
Warline Painting Ltd. not only lived up to their Company Philosophy to deliver an end result that exceeds customer expectations but also all the work of other contractors we have used. Extremely professional throughout, from the commitment to starting time, meticulous repair work, excellent staff and clean up each day. We are extremely pleased and have let others know.
I was searching for months for a company to paint our town home. This was a particularly sensitive subject for us since our town home was only a year old, but the paint job was beyond awful! I met with the owners Warren & Heidi and immediately I knew they were the right choice. If you are looking for high quality, perfection, amazing service, trust and a company who serves their customers needs first, Warline is definitely the only option. As a business professional myself, I would never attach my recommendation to any company that didn't meet my extremely high standards and Warline did just that!

Hiring a local painter to tackle your interior painting project is the easiest way to get the job done quickly, neatly, and with the best possible results. A painting contractor will provide the right materials for the job and complete any necessary repair and prep work to ensure a beautiful and lasting finish. Whether you're painting the inside of your house to update a single room or to finish off a big remodel, an experienced painting pro will deliver excellent results in record time.

Dave, you said it best! Every pro painting contractor truly worth their salt would and should cut and paste exactly what you say here about where customary and legitimate practices and expectations should be in regards to what customers should expect from contractors and how contractors should professionally deal with their customers. By the way, Dave, if you work in the Atlanta area, I would like to hire you! Thank you for your valuable advice!
I managed commercial construction projects for many years, have built and remodeled several properties, and never once have I encountered any of these scams. The tone of this article is deeply troubling. The author seems to be saying that ALL painting contractors are inherently dishonest, and that has not been my experience. The underlying advice here is sound: get it all in writing and cover as many contingencies as possible--so pointing out potential pitfalls like coat coverage is helpful. But do that in the spirit of clear communication of expectations, not with the expectation that the person you are hiring will try to cheat you at every turn. Not every contractor takes outrageous advantage of change orders; not every contractor will sneak past necessary preparation and/or repairs. Contractors of all sorts get a bad rap as it is; reinforcing a stereotype with articles written from this point of view just seems unproductive.
Buying a can of premium paint, then bait and switch over to low-line products? Again, complete nonsense. Think about it for a moment; the Painter needs 5 gallons of wall finish. So, he buys one can of premium and the rest 'cheap'? How is he going to hide the 4 other gallons? What's he going to hide it in??? He only has ONE gallon of premium. It's not as though he's going to keep older can labels, they would be covered in paint of a different colour.
I would love to explore installing this system in our home. Sadly, the nearest gas line is just down the hill from us on the cross-street. Quoted price by New England Gas to bring a gas main 300 feet up hill - $25k, and that doesn't bring it to the house, just the street in front of the house. We have municipal electricity, so the price is low currently, but we have an oil furnace for heat & hot water. Neither of these sounds like a cost-effective replacement for gas.
Filling gaps with a paintable acrylic-latex caulk cuts down on drafts and makes your trim look better than new. The secret to using caulk is to cut the tip smaller than you think it should be; too much caulk makes a mess. Also, instead of using a nail to break the inner seal, use a small wire so you don't stretch out the nozzle. Also consider buying a dripless caulk gun, which will automatically back off the pressure after each pull on the trigger to prevent unwanted oozing.
Gray is a timeless color, but it could also be considered drab if not accessorized with bold colors. Anyone who has grown tired of looking at white paint on walls for years should consider gray tones. Gray paint is cooler than its white counterpart and more versatile, as it manages to blend well with most decorations. It is an ideal color for all interior spaces and provides the perfect backdrop for color bursts.
The best time to tackle windows is in the beginning of the day, when you're fresh," says Doherty. "But it still takes me an hour to do a standard window." For double-hungs, begin by raising the inner sash and lowering the outer sash until their positions are almost reversed. Paint the lower half of the outer sash first, then the entire inner sash. Once the lower sash is dry, return both to their normal position, but leave them slightly open. Finish painting the outer sash. "Windows take too long to tape," says Doherty. When painting, overlap the glass by 1/16 inch to seal the wood.

Painting kitchen cabinets provides the customer great value. Refinishing them can be about 30% of replacement. The majority of cabinets that we paint are made of varnished wood and need a good quality bonding primer. Before we apply the primer the cabinets get washed and degreased as necessary. Depending on the customer’s situation, the doors and drawers can be removed or they can be painted in place. Professionals prefer to remove them, along with the knobs, hinges and all hardware. If possible the doors are transported to a shop where they get spray painted under a controlled environment. They are brought back to be reinstalled after the paint is cured. We recommend two finish coats of cabinet grade enamel paint.

Most pros don't bother cleaning brushes and rollers if they are going to use them the next day on the same job. "Latex paint dries slowly in cold temperatures," says Maceyunas. For two-day jobs, he wraps the rollers and brushes in plastic grocery bags and sticks them in the refrigerator. "Just allow the roller to return to room temperature before reusing it," he says. Roller covers are almost impossible to clean thoroughly. Most pros buy new covers for each job.